“WHATSOEVER a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7 8.
As autumn comes in due time after spring, so reaping follows and is the result of sowing. The man in the picture is preparing the ground for the seed, and the woman is putting the seed in. God made the seed and enabled them to sow or plant it, and it is He alone who can cause it to grow. Therefore rain, dew, and sunshine are all given by Him, that man may eat and be enabled to work.
I hope my young friends like gardening, for it is a healthful and profitable occupation, and teaches besides many lessons for the soul. A few of these lessons I should like to point out. Suppose you plant potatoes, like the two persons in the picture are represented as doing, you will not receive carrots but potatoes in return. So whatever seeds you sow morally. you will certainly receive the natural results by-and-by. If you cultivate what is pleasing to the flesh, the works of the flesh will sooner or later be the result. But if you cultivate the example set by the Lord Jesus in His holy life down here, the fruits of the Spirit will appear in your daily life.
Are you, dear boy or girl, a child of God? Have you been born again, not by water baptism— there is no such baptism as that spoken of in the Bible by which to be born again— but by the Spirit of God implanting in your soul the living and incorruptible seed of the word of God? Read what God says about it in John 3:55Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5); James 1:1818Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18);1 Peter 1:2323Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23); and Luke 8:1111Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (Luke 8:11). If you are not yet born again in that way, you are still a lost sinner.
Every baby is already lost when it first comes into the world, for it has a sinful nature, and that can never go to heaven. Jesus says, when speaking of babies, that He came to save that which was lost. Now has He saved you, or are you still lost? The seeds of sin in your, sinful nature will grow, unless you are born, again; and you yourself are very likely sowing the same seeds. For instance, you are tempted to be angry, or to tell lies, or to steal, or to sing and play worldly songs and attend worldly amusements which are for man in the flesh. You gradually give way to one or more of such like things, till you get to like them, and grow up in them. That is sowing to the flesh. Be sure you will reap the results of such sowing, even a corrupt state of soul here, and (if continued in) misery hereafter. If you, sow anger, you will not reap the fruits of peace. And if you sow worldly songs and amusements, you will reap the results of living for this world.
Oh, dear children, (all who are unsaved) do wake up to the fact that you are lost, and come to Jesus to be saved by Him, and to be washed from all your sins in His precious blood that cleanseth from all sin. If you go on in a state of sin, what will the harvest be! Will you be among the wheat or tares? Beyond doubt the latter, if you die out of Christ. But if already born again, you are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Now then, cultivate the graces that shone in Him, as He walked down here from childhood to manhood. Let this mind (of humility) be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Be kindly affectioned one toward another. Yea, love your enemies, and do good to those that hate you. Such sowing will result in happiness here and hereafter.
“Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.”
ML 06/29/1902